1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of devices worn on the hand or hands of the user for the sports of bodysurfing and swimming, namely CPC A63B31/04.
2. Description of Background
The sport of bodysurfing has been popular for many years. Bodysurfing involves riding a wave with one's own body. To catch a wave, the body surfer swims vigorously with the wave to the point where the momentum of the wave propels the bodysurfer along with the wave. Once the bodysurfer “catches” the wave, he usually places one or two hands in front of his body, raises his head and chest above the water, and rides the wave.
The prior art has proposed various hand fins and other supports to increase buoyancy or speed through the water. The problem with the prior art is that it focuses on the riding of the wave and not the swimming portion of bodysurfing. Many of the prior art devices need to be dragged along by the user while swimming and then put on the hands when the user is about to ride the wave. This creates drag while swimming. It is also inconvenient to attach the fin when the user wants to catch the wave and remove the fin when he wants to swim back out to be in the position to catch another one. Another issue is that because the fins are not meant to be used for swimming, the user must swim with only one arm while trying to catch the wave because the other arm is unusable for swimming because it is being used to hold the fin.
Additionally, the fins in the prior art are not secured to the hand and therefore the user can easily lose control of the fin. In the prior art, the fins either have a large compartment into which the hand is inserted or a strap which connects the hand to the fin. In either case, water flows between the fin and the hand, causing drag, which decreases speed. Additionally, the lack of a secure gripping mechanism allows the device to be easily pulled from the hand.
Much of the prior art is based on a surfboard like design. The problems with these designs are numerous. Fins made out of hard material are dangerous if they come into contract with the user or others. Keels on the bottom on the fin help with control, however, the strength needed to maneuver with a center keel is enormous and too much for the average bodysurfer, causing the bodysurfer to loose control rather than have more control. The keel is dangerous in that with the slightest turn of the hand, the water pressure pushes at an angle to the keel and causes the fin and arm to be ripped backwards, which may lead to injury or at least the termination of the ride.
Due to the issues mentioned above, current bodysurfing devices are riddled with problems. Users cannot enjoy their bodysurfing experience when their hand fins are ripped off by the water and when those loose devices strike the user or others. This is especially true when those devices are made from hard material. Furthermore, it is not desirable to have a device that must be dragged along side the user while the user is swimming in the water instead of aiding the user in the swimming. Additionally, the lack of steering combined with the ability to control the device is undesirable. Finally, it would be desirable to increase the buoyancy and speed of the user, which these prior art devices do not do.